Mitchell, Keating meet with federal agencies about economic development

NEW BEDFORD — Mayor Jon Mitchell met on Wednesday with U.S. Rep. Bill Keating and regional directors of federal agencies about the South Terminal project and how to maximize federal funding for economic development.

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By ARIEL WITTENBERG

southcoasttoday.com

By ARIEL WITTENBERG

Posted Feb. 21, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Apr 30, 2013 at 4:31 PM

By ARIEL WITTENBERG

Posted Feb. 21, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Apr 30, 2013 at 4:31 PM

» Social News

NEW BEDFORD — Mayor Jon Mitchell met on Wednesday with U.S. Rep. Bill Keating and regional directors of federal agencies about the South Terminal project and how to maximize federal funding for economic development.

"There are a number of different pots of money from which the city might draw," Mitchell said after the two-hour tour/working lunch.

Among the departments the two politicians met with was the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Economic Development Administration.

HUD Regional Administrator Barbara Fields said the terminal would give New Bedford the opportunity to use "preexisting" grant opportunities to jump-start "broader community investment."

One example she gave was the Choice Neighborhoods Program which strives to transform public housing by better connecting housing to neighborhoods and neighborhoods to job markets.

EDA Regional Director Willie Taylor said his office places a "high priority on making sure job creation and private investment come out of this project."

Mitchell said the city had not yet made any decisions about which funding avenues to pursue but that "we all have a lot of homework to do."

Keating said the city, state and federal officials present had already taken the first step toward advancement by sitting down together for a discussion.

"The more coordination we have, the more leverage we have to obtain resources at a time where resources are scarce," he said.